• Women say their road is impassable when it rains, blame Nyandarua governor.
• But Governor Kimemia says will be upgraded.
Image: NDICHU WAINAINA
Over 60 women from Plot 11 village in Kanjuiri ward, Ol Kalou, on Tuesday held a demonstration to protest the "pathetic" Njigaga road.
They carried jembes, spades and wheelbarrows and spent the better part of the day covering potholes that have developed on the road over the years.
The women accused Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia and Kanjuiri Ridge MCA Suleiman Kihika of neglecting the area despite "waking up at night to elect them."
Georgina Wanjiru said the road has only been repaired once by Ol Kalou MP David Kiaraho.
"It floods during the rainy season, making it difficult for our children to access school and for farmers to take their produce to the market," she said.
“The governor has never even stepped in this village since we elected him yet the roads are his responsibility. The MCA said he does not recognise this road. We don't want to see them coming here to seek votes again."
Mary Wairimu said Plot 11 women are angry because they know there is money set aside for road maintenance yet they don’t benefit from it.
She said during the rainy season, they are forced to hire tractors to take their produce to the market while women in labour face trouble as even the boda bodas cannot operate on the road.
Grace Nduta said: “If the MCA and the governor know we elected them they should do what we elected them to do or resign and seek fresh mandate from the people. Better still, let them hand over their duties to Kiaraho as he is the only leader who cares about us."
Governor Kimemia's press director Mbugua Muchoki told the Star Kanjuiri, like any other ward, has benefited from Mechanical Transport Fund, a rapid response initiative through which many roads have been repaired and new ones built.
“It is important to note that it is not possible to work on every road at once. However, every road in the county will be improved based on the existing programme. This financial year every ward is allocated Sh20 million for road construction," he said.
Muchoki said Kimemia is committed to reaching every corner of the county and will be establishing ward committees to ensure development is “people-driven from mashinani (grassroots)."
Kihika denied the residents' claim that he doesn't recognise the road. He said many roads in the ward have been allocated funds for upgrading.
He said Njigaga-Plot 11 road has not been allocated funds in the current budget.
“Even in my home area not all roads have been allocated money for upgrading," he said.